There have been substantial improvements in public consumable liquid dispensers in recent years. No longer are public water dispensers limited to bubblers delivering water at a relatively variable temperature (based upon source water temperature and rate of use). Today, many now include bottle filling taps. The enhanced water bottle filling functionality leads to greater use and higher water volume delivered by the systems. Moreover, providers of this highly desirable service to patrons have embraced the opportunity to provide high quality filtered/cooled water. Providing such systems introduces a variety of control, maintenance and repair issues addressed by a variety of features described herein in the context of a comprehensive networked system comprising communicatively coupled liquid dispensing stations incorporating/exhibiting a variety of enhanced capabilities exploiting local programmed processing and wireless data network interface communications functionality.